Fino Cuatro Palmas, Amontillado Viejo, Gonzalez Byass, Bottled 2013
Critics reviews
Gonzalez Byass is one of the greatest, historical names in Sherry (and Brandy), as well as the largest in Jerez, and the Tio Pepe brand and image one of the icons of Spain, and the best selling Fino in the world stored in an impressive solera of 30,000 botas. Moreover, it’s one of the few large Sherry companies still family-owned and managed. I had a very pleasant visit at their extensive facilities by Jerez Cathedral, visiting the different bodegas, tasting some wines from bota, discussing the developments for the en rama wines, the comeback of the pagos, while hearing about the history of the founders, the different buildings, and how things were many, many decades ago. It’s a fascinating visit offered to the public, in which thousands of visitors from all over the world (they mention 250,000 per year) learn the secrets of Sherry wine.
About this WINE
Gonzalez Byass
Gonzales-Byass was established in Jerez in 1835 by a young entrepreneur Manuel Maria Gonzalez, who exported the first cask of Tio Pepe to London in 1844. Gonzalez was advised by an uncle of his, a man called Jose Angel de la Pena. Uncle Jose had a small bodega with his own solera of Fino, which had direct access to the street as he liked to come and go as he fancied. People called Jose are often nicknamed Pepe in Spain, so the solera of uncle Jose (tio means uncle), or uncle Pepe gave name to the famous Tio Pepe brand.
The original bodega del Tio Pepe still exists, is in use today, and in fact holds some of the best botas of Tio Pepe Fino. Gonzalez took different partners, and the company changed names a number of times, like Manuel Maria Gonzalez & Cia or Gonzalez & Dubosc. In 1855, the year the people of Bordeaux were really busy making the classification of their chateaux, Gonzalez sold some company shares to his importers and distributors in the UK, Robert Blake Byass. The name of the company was definitely set to Gonzalez Byass & Co., which has been kept till the present day. Today the fifth generation of the Gonzalez family still own and manage the company.
The company has grown its holdings significantly over the years, and the winery's 37 hectares span across a number of small streets in Jerez that connected the different bodegas, La Constancia, La Concha (a unique round bodega attributed to Gustav Eiffel), Los Apostoles, La Cuadrada, and the more recent Gran Bodega Tio Pepe, Las Copas or Marques de Bonanza.
Palomino Fino
Palomino, named after Fernan Yanez Palomonio, one of King Alfonso X`s knights, is the primary grape variety for Sherry styles (Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso, Palo Cortado) production.
It is a high yielding variety that is widely planted in Spain producing mostly insipid thin, dull wines lacking in fruit and acidity. However it thrives on the predominantly chalk based soils of Cadiz where it produces large bunches of golden yellow grapes, which ripen in early September. The resulting must is transparent in colour and somewhat neutral in flavour, but the subsequent wine can develop a coating of flor before maturing in the solera system and produce a whole range of intense and aromatic sherries.
It is also grown in South Africa, California, and Australia where it is fortified to make sherry-style wines.
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Description
The NV Fino Cuatro Palmas, averaging 40 years of age is really an Amontillado, and a superb one. Bright amber-colored with a powerful nose of hazelnuts intermixed with some sweet-fruity notes of peaches and cherries that make it very attractive. The medium-bodied palate reveals the sharp flavor of mushrooms and damp albero in a rare balance between bitter and salty. A really great Amontillado.
Gonzalez Byass is one of the greatest, historical names in Sherry (and Brandy), as well as the largest in Jerez, and the Tio Pepe brand and image one of the icons of Spain, and the best selling Fino in the world stored in an impressive solera of 30,000 botas. Moreover, it’s one of the few large Sherry companies still family-owned and managed. I had a very pleasant visit at their extensive facilities by Jerez Cathedral, visiting the different bodegas, tasting some wines from bota, discussing the developments for the en rama wines, the comeback of the pagos, while hearing about the history of the founders, the different buildings, and how things were many, many decades ago. It’s a fascinating visit offered to the public, in which thousands of visitors from all over the world (they mention 250,000 per year) learn the secrets of Sherry wine.
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